Hungary Bach, Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248: Soloists, Hungarian Radio Symphony Chorus and Orchestra / Pál Németh and Soma Dinyés (conductors). MŰPA, Budapest, 13.12.2025.
Bach, Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV 110: Soloists, Lutheránia Chorus and Orchestra / Salamon Kamp (conductor). Lutheran Church, Deák Tér, Budapest, 14.12.2025. (AK)
Bach was seen from multiple dimensions in two very different events of different proportions on subsequent days in Budapest.
Devised and staged by György Igric, this unique production in the large MŰPA hall brought to life the Bethlehem story with a cast of over two hundred. The story of Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise Men of the East and the angels were presented by the evangelist (this time a bass-baritone), seven solo singers, solo instrumentalists, all four sections of the Hungarian Radio’s large children choir, the radio’s adult choir and the radio’s symphony orchestra. Unusually, two excellent and experienced conductors were in charge throughout. Last but not least, the music used for the storytelling consisted of several sections of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, without the order specified by Bach.
Bach’s music for a stage play? Why not? Bach composed each of the six cantatas for the feast days of Christmas, often using material from his earlier compositions. The idea was the celebration of Christmas! I doubt if anybody anywhere would have celebrated the joys of Christmas with such intensity and happiness as the hundreds of children (of any ages) did on the MŰPA stage and auditorium.
Using several sections of the hall, the staging was spectacular. The costumes, worn also by some of the musicians, helped to take our minds to Bethlehem to witness the birth and joy. (Full concert photography available here.)
During the stage play Bach was represented by twenty-two movements taken from the Christmas Oratorio and one from his St Matthew Passion.
During the interval, between parts one and two of the play, six Bach chorales were performed in different formations of quartets and octets (wind, brass, strings, vocal) by members of the Radio’s chorus and orchestra in the aula of MŰPA.
There were many magical musical moments. The opening a cappella four-part choral (No.5, ‘Wie soll ich dich empfangen’) sung by the slowly moving chorus of the blind people was spellbinding. The ‘Jauchzet’ movement (No.1, ‘Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage’) brought immense joy aurally but, in particular, visually: having seen the singing-dancing children filling the stage made more sense of the movement than ever before. Chorus No.36 (‘Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben’) could not have been more powerful and intensive (as well as more moving, with some sign language included for a short spell by two children on the stage).
I am not sure what I think of dividing the tenor aria ‘Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben’ (No.41) among Three Wise Men (or Kings?), with each singing a section of the aria. However, I am sure that Caspar (tenor Zoltán Megyesi) was outstanding, as were the two orchestral solo violinists (Ágnes Langer and László Nyári) in the same aria.
I cannot get over the utter brilliance of bass singer István Kovács and trumpeter Szabolcs Koczur (No.8, ‘Großer Herr, o starker König’); they presented spirit and virtuosity in equal measure.
Not everything worked out to perfection. The solo violinist part-taking early in the action, kneeling on stage among children, did not always look at the conductor and was not always in sync (No.4, ‘Bereite dich’). The same issue surfaced, although without kneeling, with the character Mary and, when on the stage as angels, with the two solo oboe players. The children’s choral (No.7) was sung with beautiful tone quality and style but they were high up on the balcony and at times sang about a quarter tone below the pitch from that of the orchestra far at the back of the stage. I trust this problem did not occur on the second performance which I was unable to attend.
This was Bach in true spirit, under two excellent conductors (Pál Németh, Soma Dinyés) and visionary stage director György Igric
Cast:
Mary – Eszter Balogh
Joseph – István Kovács
Angel – Eszter Zemlényi
Little angel – Elenonóra Milankovich / Tünde Szabó
Evangelist – Szabolcs Hámori
Caspar – Zoltán Megyesi
Melchior – István Horváth
Balthasar – Varga Donát
Music-playing angels – Melinda Kozár, Zsuzsanna Varga (oboes) and Anna Gál-Tamási (Violin)
Another Bach performance of significance the day after the MŰPA Christmas Oratorio was presented by conductor Salamon Kamp and his Lutheránia ensemble in the Deák Tér Lutheran church. Performing all surviving Bach cantatas for the appropriate day in the church calendar, this time they fitted Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV 110, into the church service. Just as in Bach’s time, the cantata was not a standalone piece, there was no applause. The musicians and choir sat high in the balcony, together with the organ. There was a strong feeling that Bach here spoke through the Almighty which the packed congregation came to worship and pray to. Admittedly I attended because of Salamon Kamp’s immense knowledge of Bach and his full commitment to integrity and quality. However, although I am fully secular, owing to Kamp and his loyal ensemble I could not help being immersed in faith. Nevertheless, I could also not help noticing the excellent performance of bass soloist Balázs Bán and the truly baroque-style cello continuo of Eszter Reményi. And there was the ever-reliable high-quality tenor Zoltán Megyesi again, after his Caspar the previous day at the MŰPA.
Bach was well served in Budapest just before and during the third week of Advent.
Agnes Kory
Featured Image: the gallery of the Lutheran Church where the musicians made their contribution from